Universal container closure

ABSTRACT

A universal container closure capable of sealing containers with various opening sizes and configurations. The universal container closure includes a solid body with a first opening in the exterior surface that opens into a first cylindrical cavity. A second cylindrical cavity is fluidly connected and coaxial with the first cylindrical cavity. The second cylindrical cavity has a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical cavity. A second opening is also provided in the solid body which opens into a third cylindrical cavity. The third cylindrical cavity has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the second cylindrical cavity but smaller than the diameter of the first cylindrical cavity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of container closures. More specifically, the present invention comprises a universal container closure capable of sealing container openings of varying size and configuration.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various container closures are known in the prior art. Most container closures are designed to fit a group of containers having a commonly-sized opening. The designs of prior art container closures are also particularly-configured to compliment features of the container opening. For example, many container closures have female threading that is patterned to engage male threading present on the container opening.

It is not uncommon for one to lose or break a closure that is provided with a container. In some cases, this can cause the contents of the container to spoil. In these cases, it would be desirable to provide a replacement closure capable of sealing the container. This is particularly true for artists who work with paint. These artists are familiar with the problems associated with losing or damaging a closure. If a suitable replacement closure is not obtained quickly, the paint can dry out or degrade.

Until now little consideration has been given to addressing the commercial need of replacement closures. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a replacement closure that is adapted to seal containers openings of varying size and configuration.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a universal container closure capable of sealing containers with various opening sizes and configurations. The universal container closure includes a solid body with a first opening in the exterior surface that opens into a first cylindrical cavity. A second cylindrical cavity is fluidly connected and coaxial with the first cylindrical cavity. The second cylindrical cavity has a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical cavity. A second opening is also provided in the solid body which opens into a third cylindrical cavity. The third cylindrical cavity has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the second cylindrical cavity but smaller than the diameter of the first cylindrical cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, showing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section view, showing the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a section view, showing the present invention from the side.

FIG. 4 is a section view, showing use of the present invention to seal large paint tubes.

FIG. 5 is a section view, showing use of the present invention to seal medium-sized paint tubes.

FIG. 6 is a section view, showing use of the present invention to seal small paint tubes.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 10 universal container closure 12 wide cylindrical cavity 14 narrow cylindrical cavity 16 medium cylindrical cavity 18 exterior surface 20 opening 22 opening 24 divider wall 26 shoulder 28 wall 30 shoulder 32 wall 34 cavity end 36 cavity end 38 wall 40 shoulder 42 planed surface 44 planed surface 46 large tubes 48 medium tubes 50 small tubes 52 wide mouth 54 medium mouth 56 tube wall 58 small mouth

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, universal container closure 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1. Universal container closure 10 comprises a solid body made of flexible material, such as a low durometer polymer material. In order for the closure to have desirable deformation characteristics it is preferable that the material have a shore A durometer of less than 60 but more than 30. It is even more preferred that the material have a shore A durometer of between 35 and 55, with a most preferred value of approximately 50. Exterior surface 18 includes planed surface 42 and planed surface 44 (shown in FIG. 2) which allows the user to easily grasp universal container closure 10 when placing the closure on or removing the closure off of a container. Opening 22 is provided on one end of the solid body. Opening 22 opens into medium cylindrical cavity 16.

Turning to FIG. 2, the reader will note that opening 20 is provided on the opposite side of the solid body from opening 22. Opening 22 opens into two fluidly connected and coaxial cylindrical cavities (wide cylindrical cavity 12 and narrow cylindrical cavity 14 shown in FIG. 3). Divider wall 24 is placed between opening 22 and opening 20 so that fluids may not pass between the cavities of opening 20 and the cavity of opening 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, sloping shoulder 40 is provided between opening 22 and medium cylindrical cavity 16. This feature helps direct the mouth of a container into medium cylindrical cavity 16 and facilitates the deformation of wall 38 when the mouth of a container is inserted into medium cylindrical cavity 16. The deformation of wall 58 allows medium cylindrical cavity 16 to conform to various opening configurations (including openings having male threading or tabs). The deformation of wall 58 also allows medium cylindrical cavity 16 to conform to objects that are slightly larger than the cavity.

On the opposite side of the solid body, sloping shoulder 26 is provided between opening 20 and wide cylindrical cavity 12. Shoulder 26 serves a similar function as shoulder 40. Wide cylindrical cavity 12 has a larger diameter than medium cylindrical cavity 16 to accommodate container openings that are too large for medium cylindrical cavity 16. Narrow cylindrical cavity 14 is fluidly connected and coaxial with wide cylindrical cavity 12. Narrow cylindrical cavity 14 has a diameter that is narrower than medium cylindrical cavity 16 to accommodate container openings that are too small for medium cylindrical cavity 16. Sloping shoulder 30 is provided between wide cylindrical cavity 12 and narrow cylindrical cavity 14. Like shoulder 40 and shoulder 26, shoulder 30 directs small container openings into narrow cylindrical cavity 14 and facilitates the deformation of wall 32 around the container opening. Wall 28, wall 32, and wall 38 are all substantially cylindrical in shape, but the walls could include positive gripping features such as ridges or valleys.

Divider wall 34 is provided between cavity end 36 and cavity end 34. This feature allows both opening 22 and opening 20 to be used to seal a container opening as illustrated in FIGS. 4 though 6.

Turning to FIG. 4, the reader will note that the wide cylindrical cavity may be used to enclose large-size paint tubes, indicated as large tubes 46 in FIG. 4. Although the two tubes shown in this illustration have different volumes, they have similarly sized openings. Wide mouth 52 is inserted into the wide cylindrical cavity so that wall 28 mates with the sides of wide mouth 52. If the paint tube has male threading, wall 28 will deform around the threading to form an air-tight seal.

As shown in FIG. 5, the medium cylindrical cavity can be configured to seal the openings of medium sized paint tubes, indicated as medium tubes 28 in the present example. Medium mouth 54 is inserted into the medium cylindrical cavity so that wall 38 mates with the sides of medium mouth 54. Like wall 28, wall 38 is capable of deforming around threading or tabs that may be present on medium mouth 54.

As shown in FIG. 6, the narrow cylindrical cavity can be used to seal the openings of small tube 50. Small mouth 58 is inserted through the wide cylindrical cavity and into the narrow cylindrical cavity so that wall 32 mates with the side walls of small mouth 58. The reader will note that tube wall 56 is received within wall 28 of the wide cylindrical cavity.

By now the reader should appreciate that the artist can use the same universal container closure to close containers having openings of varying sizes and configurations. This is particularly helpful because most artists have many paint containers of different size and opening design. In the present example where universal container closure 10 is used to as a replacement cap for paint tubes, it is desirable that the small cylindrical cavity have an inside diameter in the range of 0.200 inches to 0.280 inches, the medium cylindrical cavity have an inside diameter in the range of 0.375 inches to 0.450 inches, and the large cylinder have an inside diameter in the range of 0.500 inches through 0.700 inches. The present invention may also be used to seal other containers as well, however. In other applications, different dimensions may be required. The preceding descriptions should not be construed, therefore, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. 

1. A universal container closure for sealing containers of varying sizes and configurations, comprising: a. a body comprising a flexible material, said body having an exterior surface and an interior; b. a first cylindrical cavity within said body, said first cylindrical cavity having a first diameter, said first cylindrical cavity formed by a first opening in said exterior surface; c. a second cylindrical cavity within said body, said second cylindrical cavity fluidly connected and coaxial with said first cavity, said second cylindrical cavity having a cavity end wall distal said first cylindrical cavity, said second cylindrical cavity having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter; and d. a third cylindrical cavity within said body, said third cylindrical cavity having a third diameter, said third cylindrical cavity formed by a second opening in said exterior surface and separated from said first cylindrical cavity and said second cylindrical cavity by a divider wall.
 2. The universal container closure of claim 1, said third diameter being greater than said second diameter and less than said first diameter.
 3. The universal container closure of claim 1, said second opening positioned on the opposite side of said body from said first opening.
 4. The universal container closure of claim 1, said body further comprising a planed surface on said exterior surface between said first opening and said second opening.
 5. The universal container closure of claim 1, wherein said flexible material is a polymer.
 6. The universal container closure of claim 1, wherein said flexible material has a shore A durometer in the range of 30 to
 60. 7. A universal container closure for sealing containers of varying sizes and configurations, comprising: a. a body comprising a flexible material, said body having an exterior surface and an interior, said flexible material having a shore A durometer in the range of 30 to 60; b. a first cylindrical cavity within said body, said first cylindrical cavity having a first diameter, said first cylindrical cavity formed by a first opening in said exterior surface; c. a second cylindrical cavity within said body, said second cylindrical cavity fluidly connected and coaxial with said first cavity, said second cylindrical cavity having a cavity end wall distal said first cylindrical cavity, said second cylindrical cavity having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter; and d. a third cylindrical cavity within said body, said third cylindrical cavity having a third diameter, said third diameter being greater than said second diameter and less than said first diameter.
 8. The universal container closure of claim 7, wherein said third cylindrical cavity is separated from said first cylindrical cavity and said second cylindrical cavity by a divider wall.
 9. The universal container closure of claim 7, wherein said third cylindrical cavity formed by a second opening in said exterior surface.
 10. The universal container closure of claim 9, said second opening positioned on the opposite side of said body from said first opening.
 11. The universal container closure of claim 10, said body further comprising a planed surface on said exterior surface between said first opening and said second opening.
 12. The universal container closure of claim 7, wherein said flexible material is a polymer.
 13. A universal container closure for sealing containers of varying sizes and configurations, comprising: a. a body comprising a flexible material, said body having an exterior surface and an interior; b. a first cylindrical cavity within said body, said first cylindrical cavity having a first diameter, said first cylindrical cavity formed by a first opening in said exterior surface; c. a first sloping shoulder between said first opening and said first cylindrical cavity, said first sloping shoulder having a first shoulder diameter proximate exterior surface and a second shoulder diameter proximate said first cylindrical cavity, said second should diameter narrower than said first shoulder diameter; d. a second cylindrical cavity within said body, said second cylindrical cavity fluidly connected and coaxial with said first cavity, said second cylindrical cavity having a cavity end wall distal said first cylindrical cavity, said second cylindrical cavity having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter; and e. a second sloping shoulder between said first cylindrical cavity and said second cylindrical cavity, said second sloping shoulder having a third shoulder diameter proximate said first cylindrical cavity and a fourth shoulder diameter proximate second cylindrical cavity, said fourth shoulder diameter narrower than said third shoulder diameter.
 14. The universal container closure of claim 13, further comprising a third cylindrical cavity within said body, said third cylindrical cavity having a third diameter, said third cylindrical cavity formed by a second opening in said exterior surface and separated from said first cylindrical cavity and said second cylindrical cavity by a divider wall.
 15. The universal container closure of claim 13, said third diameter being greater than said second diameter and less than said first diameter.
 16. The universal container closure of claim 14, said second opening positioned on the opposite side of said body from said first opening.
 17. The universal container closure of claim 14, said body further comprising a planed surface on said exterior surface between said first opening and said second opening.
 18. The universal container closure of claim 13, wherein said flexible material is a polymer.
 19. The universal container closure of claim 13, wherein said flexible material has a shore A durometer in the range of 30 to
 60. 